Truss



mvENToR fra/7 BY ATTORNEY F, S. BURTON July 18, 1933.

TBUS S Filed Nov. 23, 1928 Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES l FRANZ S. BURTONpOF KANSAS CITY, llVIIEiSOU'IRI 'muss v Application led November 23, 1928. Serial No. 321,287.

invention relates tohernia trusses, and more particularly to trusses for supporting areas at the groin of the wearer, the principal objects of the` invention being to provide for automatic .adjustment of a truss pad to the groin and to anarea to be supported,to mount a non-circular pad rotatively and removably on a belt, and to facilitate the mounting, re`

placement and positioning of truss pads. In accomplishing these and other 'objects of the invention, I have provided improved details ofstructure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein: 4 Fig. l is a perspective view of a double truss embodying my invention.,` y p Fig. 2 is` an enlarged detail perspective view of a truss pad and pad support separat-` ed, a belt and crotch strap being shown fragmentarily. .Y v ,y

Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of the support and pad rotatively attached thereto by a snap fastener.

Fig. 4 `is' an enlarged vertical central' sec-fv tion of the snap fastener with the parts 4in lseparated position. f

Referring in detail to the drawing: 1 designates a belt formed `preferably of y flexible andelastic material,2 a loop member adjustably mounted Yon the belt, and 3 a hook fixed to the belt and adapted to latehin the loo y j y rotch straps .or bands 4 of elastic materialhaveloops at one end sleeved on the belt and provided with slides 6 for adjusting the lengths of the straps to fit the wearer. The opposite ends of the straps extend upwardly over the inner face of the belt, then U downwardly over the outer face thereof and '40 their extremities are attachedto the body portions of the straps as at?, thus forming loops 8 slidableover the belt, and adapted as presently described to support truss pads 9 `and 10.

Because ofthe novelfcharacter and mode of operation of my truss pads, I may provide a double truss when a single area is tofbe treated, the pad `9 representing that which is i to serve the hernia, and a supplemental smaller pad 10 being provided for the other groin to balance the trussand to support an uninjured area to prevent development of a hernia thereinmv .Thepads and supports` are similarly formed andsupported and but one v assembly will be particularly described. 5 The pad 9 comprises a body 11..of light weight, resilient material, preferably sponge rubber, and-as especially adapted for mounting'bymy improved mea-ns, is non-circular, f elongated, with a flat rear surface 12, and a convex front surface 13, having a relatively thick portion 14 adjacent one end. y

Icontemplate. mounting the pad removably and rotatively o n the belt, for example by snap fasteners, and inl order to support one member of the snapv fastener from the pad I attach a relatively strong facing member 15 to the bod 11, and since the pad is adapted to rotate an bear against the belt, the member Y 15 is formed of smooth material. adapted to 70 resist wear, for example leather, and mount the stud member 16 of a snap fastener in the facing member 15. The stud member 16 comprises `a cylindrical body 17, and parallel radial flanges 18 and 19 spaced suiiciently to 75 receive the edge of the leather facing member 15 at` an opening 20 provided therein to receivel the snap fastening member. Y

` As illustrated and preferred, the facing member 15 is attached to the body'11 by a 80 cover 21 of soft material such as cloth which extends over the convex surface of the body 11, and is attachedto the facing member by stitching 22 after `the snap fastening member has been installed in the opening 20.

The complementary socket member 23 of the snap fastener `is secured to the loop portion 24 of a crotchstrap which overlies the inner face of the belt. i

To facilitate the operation of the rotative pad, assure its effective functioning, and protect the belt, I provide a backing pla-te or pad-mounting circular bearingdisk 25, comprising a nelativelyv soft and resilient body y Q6` which may be formed of the same mate- 95 rial as the belt, and a smooth, relatively thin facing member 2? adapted Atoresist wear and consisting preferably of tough material such as leather, and attach thedisk `to the crotch strap loop by the snap fastening socket memsocket in which the stud member 16 is engaged for rotatively supporting the pad from the 7 belt.

The elastic belt and crotch strapsftend to yield under movements of the wearer, to

preventy displacement of the pad.v l

The fastening means is preferablyl adapted 'to space the pad slightlyV 'from theibacking member to facilitate freerotation of thejpad,

and the spacing maybe varied, for esempio by increasing the thickness of the backing disk, or varying the lengths of the cylindri cal members of the snap fastener or: like mounting means. f

The pads are illustrated as positioned with their-,widerand thicker portions at the top, but may be. reversed to suit the preference of the wearer, and will operate'as described' in reversed position. n vPads .of different shapes and sizes and equipped with mountingmeans such as the members of a. snap fastener, may be provided for mountingrotatively on a belt provided with complementary*supporting elements, and particularly provided with the backing plates or disks, and a newpad may be substituted easily for one found unsatisfactory or when conditions change, without necessity for supplying a complete new truss.

In Vapplying and using a truss of he character described,a pad of suitable size and shape for the condition and position of the hernia is selected, and al smaller pfad may also be selected for application to the other groin. The pad may be adjusted laterally and rotatively both before and afterv the belt is fastened.

Attention vis particularly called to the structure whereby the pad may be rotated on its support, so that an elliptical, oval or other non-circular pad, and a pad having' greater thickness or depth at one point than another,

may be moved rotatively to fit it accurately to the anatomy of the wearer and the area to be served, and thus assure and enhance the desired supporting effect of the pad, obviate hazard of injury, and promote the comfort of the wearer. 4

n A pad rotatively supported as described has the further important advantage that it will automaticallymove rotatively to proper hernia-supporting position, in relation to the groin, should it be inaccurately positioned when applied and will not be displaced by the movement of the belt and strap due to motions and changes of attitude of the wearer. In this respect my invention improves particularly on flat pads, and others, that are fixed to a belt or crotch strap, and tend to be moved partly away from supporting position when the wearer changes nis posture.

Attention is furthercalled to the service of the backing disk having diameter substantially equal to and preferably slightly less than the longest dimension of the pad, which cular pad having a plane inner 'falce and a stud projectingr from said face, a backing member mounted on the support and comprising a disk having diameter substantially equal to the longest dimension of the inner face yof said pad,'-'and a socket mountedl centrallyin said backing member to'receive said stud forrotatively mounting the pad on the backing member, and having a rim projecting above the surface of said disk to engage said pad to permit portions ofV the inner facerof 'the mounted pad to engage the disk under prersures consequent on use of the truss.

. 2. In a truss including a support and a pad, ay socket member fixed; against rotation to the support, a stud fixed to the pad to engage in said socket member for rotatively mounting the pad on the support, means lincluding a rim portion of said socket and a flange on said stud engageable with said rim portion for spacing rthe pad. from the support, and a disk mounted on the socket member and fixed against rotation thereto and having' less .thickness than the space between the pad and the support to normally space the adjacent faces of the pad and the disk, and having a diameter substantially as great asthe longest dimension of the'pad. j l

In a truss including 'a Abolt and apad having a. Hat face, means including a strap mounted on the belt for supporting the pad, ineansforrotatively mounting thopad on the strap and including 'means for spacing the flat face of the pad from the strap, and a. backing plate lixedto the strap between the pad and the strap and com prisfng a body having less thickness than the space between they pad and the strap and a. vfacing member on. the body forming a wear-resisting surface to engage portions of the flat face of the pad.

4. A truss comprising a belt, a strap having a loop slidable on the belt,`a stud fixed to the loop, a cylindrical socket mounted on the studland having substantial length for spacing the rim of the socket outwardly from the stud, a pad comprising a non-circular body having a fiat inner face and a wearresisting facing member on said face, a stud iXed to the pad in the center of the facing member and projecting a substantial distance from said member to engage in said socket for tiltably and rotatively mounting the pad on the loop,afiatfaced circular disk having diameter substantially equal to the longest dimension of the facing member and provided with a center opening for mounting the disk on the first named stud, and having thickness substantially equal to the length of said stud for spacing the face of the disk from the facing member ofthe pad, and a wear-resisting facing member on the disk forming a bearing surface for frictional engagement With portions of the facing member of the pad when the pad is tilted.`

FRANZ S. BURTON. 

